Innovation Wrapped 2025: Most Important Calls

Innovation Wrapped 2025: Most Important Calls

The year 2025 marked a turning point for European funding.
The 2025 calls channelled billions of euros into innovation, industry, defence, digitalisation, education and the green transition.

Throughout the year, the main European programmes concentrated their efforts on a limited number of strategic calls.
These stood out for their funding volume, sectoral impact, and capacity to mobilise projects.

In this journalistic analysis of Innovation Wrapped 2025, we review the most important 2025 calls.
For each programme, we identify the call with the highest grant, the number of funded projects, and its main objective.

Innovation Fund: the major bet on renewable hydrogen

2025 calls with the greatest climate impact

The Innovation Fund once again took centre stage in European industrial policy.
In 2025, the most relevant call was:

INNOVFUND-2024-AUC-RFNBOH2-GENERAL
Innovation Fund 2024 Auction – Fixed Premium Auction for RFNBO hydrogen production

  • Funding granted: €98,213,506
  • Funded projects: 4
  • Type: Fixed premium auction
  • Status: Closed

Objective of the call

This call supports the production of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) hydrogen in Europe.
Its purpose is to close the cost gap with fossil-based hydrogen.

In addition, the initiative strengthens European industrial autonomy.
It also accelerates the deployment of new electrolysis capacity.

The call aligns with REPowerEU, the European Green Deal, and the Net-Zero Industry Plan.
As a result, it stands as one of the most strategic 2025 calls for the energy transition.

Creative Europe: record support for European cinema

2025 calls with the highest number of projects

The Creative Europe MEDIA programme stood out for its mobilisation capacity.
The most impactful call was:

CREA-MEDIA-2025-FILMDIST
European Film Distribution

  • Funding granted: €24,029,894
  • Total budget: €32,000,000
  • Funded projects: 256
  • Status: Closed

Objective of the call

The main goal is to strengthen the transnational distribution of European films.
The call encourages investment in production, acquisition and promotion of non-national works.

Furthermore, it strengthens links between producers and distributors.
In doing so, it improves the competitiveness of European cinema in global markets.

In terms of project volume, this was one of the most active 2025 calls.

Digital Europe: consolidating the digital innovation network

Key 2025 calls for digital transformation

The Digital Europe Programme reinforced its territorial innovation network.
The most relevant call was:

DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-EU-EEA-08-CONSOLIDATION-STEP
Consolidation of the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs with reinforced AI focus)

  • Funding granted: €20,806,023
  • Total budget: €170,000,000
  • Funded projects: 18
  • Status: Closed

Objective of the call

This call consolidates the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs).
Its focus is placed on artificial intelligence and advanced digitalisation.

EDIHs support SMEs, mid-caps and public authorities.
They provide testing facilities, training, access to finance and networking.

As such, the call strengthens the territorial deployment of digital innovation in Europe.

European Defence Fund: cooperation in air combat

Strategic 2025 defence calls

The European Defence Fund (EDF) launched a key call for Europe’s military future:

EDF-2025-DA-AIR-CAC
Collaborative air combat

  • Indicative budget: €49,000,000
  • Funded projects: 0
  • Status: Closed

Objective of the call

The initiative aims to develop common standards for collaborative air combat.
It covers both manned and unmanned systems.

In addition, it enhances interoperability with NATO.
It also strengthens European technological sovereignty in defence and military AI.

Erasmus+: higher education with global impact

2025 calls with the largest education budget

Within Erasmus+, the most relevant call was:

ERASMUS-EDU-2025-CBHE-STRAND-3
Capacity building in the field of higher education Strand 3

  • Total budget: €22.614.881
  • Expected projects: 80
  • Status: Closed

Objective of the call

This action supports capacity building in higher education systems outside the EU.
It funds educational reforms with long-term social and economic impact.

Projects align with the Global Gateway strategy.
They also promote employability, digitalisation and the green transition.

EU4Health: new cancer screening programmes

2025 calls in public health

The EU4Health programme launched a call that remains open:

EU4H-2026-SANTE-PJ-01 
Call for proposals to pilot and implement cancer screening programmes for gastric cancer

  • Budget: €3,000,000
  • Funded projects: 0
  • Status: Open

Objective of the call

The call aims to implement gastric cancer screening programmes.
It introduces artificial intelligence into early detection practices.

It strengthens cooperation among Member States.
Furthermore, it reduces inequalities in access to prevention.

Horizon Europe: four pillars, four key calls

Excellent Sciences
HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF-01-01
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025

  • Budget: €60,643,921
  • Funded projects: 0

Supports international researcher mobility.
It strengthens scientific careers and knowledge transfer.

Innovative Europe
HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2025-CSA-1
A Pan-European infrastructure for Chips Design Innovation

  • Funding granted: €11,993,183
  • Funded projects: 1

Creates a pan-European infrastructure for chip design.
It reinforces Europe’s deep-tech ecosystem.

Widening Participation
HORIZON-EIE-2025-01-INNOVSMES-01
European Partnership on Innovative SMEs

  • Budget: €108,000,000
  • Funded projects: 1

Supports the internationalisation of innovative SMEs.
It connects national programmes with global markets.

Widening Participation

HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-03-ACCESS-01
Hop-on facility

  • Budget: €40,000,000
  • Funded projects: 30

Facilitates the participation of lower-performing countries in Horizon Europe.
It strengthens cohesion across the European R&I ecosystem.

LIFE: biodiversity with the largest environmental budget

2025 calls with the highest environmental allocation

LIFE-2025-SAP-NAT-NATURE 
Nature and Biodiversity

  • Budget: €153,400,000
  • Funded projects: 0

Although no awarded funding data is available, this is the largest-budget call within the LIFE programme.
Its objective is to protect and restore European biodiversity.

Conclusion: the 2025 calls shaping Europe’s future

The 2025 calls reveal a clear strategic direction.
Europe prioritises hydrogen, digitalisation, defence, education and health.

Major programmes concentrate resources in fewer calls.
However, these generate greater impact and higher budgets.

At Kaila, we will continue analysing how these calls reshape the European innovation ecosystem.